1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of buckles having tongues inserted therein for connecting components, such as webs together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,591 there is disclosed an infant buckle having a pair of interlocking tongues releasably lockable with the buckle. The tongues are separate but have overlapping tab portions with aligned slots when inserted into the buckle to lockingly engage the buckle pivot pawl. The buckle is attached to a first web whereas the pair of tongues are attached to two additional webs thereby attaching the webs together when the tongues are inserted into the buckle. A push button actuator is operable to move the pawl allowing removal of the tongues from the buckle.
Buckles with interlocking tongues used in restraint systems are well known as shown in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,023,981; 5,038,446; 5,142,748; 5,182,837; 5,283,933; and 6,868,591. Further, buckles with non-interlocking tongues used in restraint systems are also well known such as shown in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,097. Non-interlocking tongues have the advantage that they may be inserted one at a time into the buckle or removed one at a time from the buckle. Each tongue of a pair of tongues are typically attached to a separate harness web. In the event the tongues are interlocking prior to insertion into the buckle, then a person must pull or control the routing of each web attached to each tongue during the insertion. Thus, an advantage is gained when inserting each tongue separately since the particular web attached to the tongue need only be pulled or controlled as compared to simultaneously dealing with both webs.
The locking pawls in the prior buckles typically include a plate with upraised portions to separately engage each tongue. The pawl is biased toward the tongue with the tongue first contacting the pawl during the insertion process and moving the pawl against a spring until the upraised portion of the pawl extends through a tongue aperture thereby releasably locking the tongue in place.